About a month ago I had an ultrasound to check the baby’s growth. My fundal height had been measuring on the small side and I hadn’t been gaining as much weight as one would expect so as a precaution one of my midwives ordered an ultrasound just to be sure that the baby was growing properly. As it turns out, Munchkin was measuring well within the normal range but the ultrasound revealed another issue: the baby was breech. At that time I was only about 31 weeks so it wasn’t a huge concern, still plenty of time to turn. However, at my next midwife appointment that was almost all that we talked about and for the first time the word cesarean was tossed around. Yet, my midwife assured me that it was still early and it wasn’t until 35 weeks that a breech position would start to become a concern.
Well I am 35 weeks now and today I had another ultrasound to check Munchkin’s position. It’s official, she is still breech. She is butt down with her head right under my rib cage and her feet right by her face (how that could possibly be comfortable is beyond me). I had had my fingers crossed that she was going to be head down by now but she doesn’t seem to want to cooperate. I guess she is already starting to take after me. I was a footling breech and wouldn’t budge when the doctor tried to turn me.
Anyway, now I have an appointment for tomorrow to have a Non-Stress test (NST) as well as a consult with an obstetrician to discuss my options. I really don’t want to have a c-section, a had my heart set on trying to have as natural a birth experience as I could. I wanted to try to get through labour without pain medication or intervention. Now it is becoming increasingly more likely that I will end up having the exact opposite. The ultrasound technician student even asked me if I already had a c-section scheduled. I was a bit horrified by the question because I am not ready to give up on a vaginal delivery. It’s times like these that it is particularly hard to be on my own, I find myself wishing that I had someone to come with me to these appointments for a bit of additional support. Although, to be completely honest, most of the time I wish that person was my mom.
I did get some fun news at the ultrasound: Munchkin has hair! I guess there might just be some merit to that old wives’ tale that bad heartburn during pregnancy means that the baby will be born with hair. Apparently, it is already at least 1 centimeter long. How cool is that?
munchkinplusmommy 